Medical coupling system

ABSTRACT

An adapter bridging a medication providing device and a fluid connector includes a housing shroud that is fitted at one end with a core and at its other end with an inner shroud. Once fitted to the housing shroud, the core and the inner shroud each are not removable from the housing shroud. A catch hub is provided within the housing shroud for non-removably maintaining the core to the housing shroud. The core is rotatable relative to the housing shroud. Once the medication providing device is coupled to the core, additional rotational movement, in either direction, of the medication providing device would only cause the core to rotate freely relative to the housing shroud, thereby preventing the medication providing device from being removed from the adapter. The inner shroud has a catch mechanism that enables it to mate readily with a connector when rotated in one direction.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 12/289,264filed on Oct. 23, 2008, which in turn is a divisional of applicationSer. No. 10/915,574 filed on Aug. 11, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,497,484issued on Mar. 3, 2009.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to connectors for a fluid path, and moreparticularly an adapter for coupling a medication providing device witha connector for providing medication to a patient.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

To prevent mis-connection of a fluid line to a device containing aparticular medication, it has been shown in the prior art that aconnector may be made up of two portions, with the portions beingconnected by complementary configured opposing surfaces. Such twoportions connector ensures that the one line from one portion of theconnector would not be wrongly connected to a different medication line.A fastening mechanism comprised of such complementary connectingportions is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,624 and its parent U.S.Pat. No. 6,402,207. The '624 patent discloses in particular a ratchetmechanism, as part of the connector, that prevents or impedes theuncoupling of one portion of the connector from a syringe to which theother portion may be connected. In practice, since the ratchet mechanismis dependent on the interaction of the teeth on the inner surface of anouter sleeve with a pawl of an inner body that fits into the outersleeve, if the syringe were to be tightened too forcefully, the innerbody would pop out of the outer sleeve. Moreover, as disclosed in the'624 patent, the ratchet mechanism is a portion of the connector thatdoes not fully isolate the relative rotation of the outer sleeve and theinner body.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The instant invention adapter is adapted to be interposed between amedication providing device and a connector. The adapter is designed toprevent the medication providing device from being removed therefrom,once the device is secured to one end of the adapter. The other end ofthe adapter is configured to accept a connector. The connector isrotatably connected to the adapter in one direction. Once fullyconnected, any further rotational movement along the same directionwould simply cause the connector to rotate freely relative to theadapter. With a rotational motion in a counter direction, the connectorcan be removed from the adapter.

The adapter of the instant invention includes an outer cylindricalsleeve or a housing shroud that has an internal circumferential hubcatch. In addition, a plurality of bumps extend from the inner wall ofthe housing shroud toward the central axis of the shroud. Fitted to thishousing shroud is a cylindrical inner shroud that has a protrusioncircumferentially formed proximate to its distal end that snap-mates toa circumferential groove formed at the distal end of the shroud. Theinner shroud and the housing shroud are rotatable relative to eachother.

A plurality of teeth extend from the proximal end of the inner shroud.When biased by a given force, these teeth of the inner shroud would actagainst the bumps extending from the inner wall of the housing shroud toprevent the inner shroud from rotating relative to the housing shroud.The extending teeth have inclining ramps that prevent the teeth fromacting against the bumps, thereby allowing the two shrouds to rotatefreely relative to each other when the biasing force is removed. Theinner shroud may be internally threaded for accepting a speciallydesigned connecting end of the connector.

A third component of the adapter of the instant invention is a core thatfits to the housing shroud from the latter's other end. The core has acylindrical central portion defined by a chamfered flange and aring-shaped flange. This cylindrical central portion mates with the hubcatch of the housing shroud that has a number of fingers configured toallow the chamfered flange to pass through but prevent the chamferedflange, the back of which is flat, from passing in the reversedirection. Thus, once the central portion of the core mates with the hubcatch, the core is non-removably fitted to, but rotatable freelyrelative with, the housing shroud. The respective dimensions of thecylindrical central portion of the core and the opening formed by thehub catch fingers are configured to allow the core to rotate freelyrelative to the housing shroud. With the core fitted to the housingshroud, a medication providing device can be mated to the proximal endof the core.

The connector, for example a luer connector, of the medication providingdevice allows the medication providing device such as a syringe to bemated to the proximal connector of the core. Once the medicationproviding device is mated to the core, if a user were to try to removethe medication providing device from the core by applying a countertorque to the medication providing device, the core will rotate freelyalong the direction of the counter torque. The medication providingdevice is therefore prevented from being removed from the adapter.Additional torque in the direction that mates the medication providingdevice to the core does not cause any additional tightening, as the corewill also rotate freely relative to the shroud. Thus, once themedication providing device is mated to the core, it could not beremoved therefrom.

The instant invention therefore relates to an adapter for use with amedication providing device and a connector for providing medication toa patient. The adapter includes a housing shroud and an inner shroudfitted to the housing shroud. The inner shroud has an opening foraccepting a connecting end of the connector such that the connector,once mated to the inner shroud, is freely rotatable in one direction andis removable from the inner shroud when rotated in a counter direction.The adapter further includes a core fitted in the housing shroud toallow the medication to be routed from the medication providing deviceto the connector. The core has a proximal end for enabling themedication providing device to be connected to the adapter. Themedication providing device is not removable from the adapter once it isconnected thereto.

The present invention also relates to a combination of a shroud havingtwo open ends and an inner shroud non-removably fitted into one of theopen ends of the shroud. The inner shroud has a connector end forenabling it to be mated to a given medication conveying connector. Theinner shroud is rotatable freely in one direction once the givenconnector is mated thereto. The given connector is removable from theinner shroud when it is rotated in a counter direction. The combinationfurther includes a core that is non-removably fitted to the other end ofthe shroud. The core has a through passage and a connector end forenabling the core to be mated to a luer connector of a medicationproviding device. The medication providing device, once mated to theconnector end of the core, is not removable from the core.

The instant invention also relates to a method of routing a medicationfrom a given medication providing device that includes the steps ofproviding a given medication conveying connector, providing an adapterhaving a shroud with one and other open ends, non-removably fitting aninner shroud into one end of the shroud and non-removably fitting a coreinto the other end of the shroud. The inner shroud has a connector endthat enables the inner shroud to be mated to the given medical conveyingconnector, while the core has a through passage and a connector end forenabling it to be mated to the connector of the medication providingdevice that, once mated to the connector end of the core, is notremovable from the core.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The present invention will become apparent and the invention itself willbe best understood with reference to the following description of thepresent invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an exemplar overall path through which amedication is provided to a patient, with the various components beingshown;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the adapter of the instant invention,with its components in alignment but not assembled, and a connector forconveying fluid to a patient;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the adapter of the instant invention inwhich the components have been assembled;

FIGS. 4A-4D are different views of the housing shroud of the adapter ofthe instant invention;

FIGS. 5A-5D are different views of the inner shroud of the adapter ofthe instant invention; and

FIGS. 6A-6D are different views of the core of the adapter of theinstant invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1, the adapter of the instant invention, designated 2,is connected to a connector 4, which is shown to include two portions 6and 8. Portion 6 has a given connector end 10 that has a pair ofprojections 12 that enable connector end 10 to be mated to adapter 2.Connector end 10 may also be connected to a female end of a connectorsuch as luer connector 16 of filter 14 shown in FIG. 1. Filter 14 isinterposed between connector 4 and adapter 2 for filtering outcontaminants that may be present in the medication or fluid that passesfrom a medication providing device, such as for example a syringe 5(partially shown in FIG. 1) or a pump, to connector 4. Filter 14, inaddition to luer connector 16, also has a second connector 18 that has aconfiguration similar to that of connector end 10 of connector 4, so asto enable filter 14 to be coupled to adapter 2.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the end of portion 8 of connector 4that is not connected to portion 6 has an opening 20 to which one end ofa catheter is fitted. The other end of the catheter is connected to apatient. Thus, a fluid such as medication may be conveyed from connector4 to a patient. Portions 6 and 8 of connector 4 have respectivecomplementary opposing surfaces so that only portions 6 and 8 may becoupled to each other. This is to avoid mistaken coupling of either oneof those portions with a different half portion, so as to prevent theconveying of an incorrect medication to the patient via the catheter.Filter 14 is provided in the FIG. 1 embodiment for filtration purposesand is not necessary for the practice of the instant invention, asevidenced by the direct coupling of connector 4 to adapter 2 as shown inthe FIG. 2 embodiment.

During transport and before use, to maintain sterility, a cap 22 may beused to cover connector end 10 of connector 4. Similarly, connector 18of filter 14 may be covered by a cap 24. A plug 26 that has a connectorend 28 that may have the same configuration as connector end 10 is usedto cover the end opening of adapter 2, that, as shown in FIG. 1, facesconnector 18 of filter 14. A more detailed discussion of thecomplementary opposing surfaces of portions 6 and 8 of connector 4 maybe gleaned from the disclosure of the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No.6,612,624, the disclosure of which being incorporated by referenceherein.

With reference to FIG. 2, adapter 2 is shown to include an outer housingsleeve or a housing shroud 30 that has the shape of a cylinder with twoopposed open ends 32 and 34. Adapter 2 further has an insert or an innershroud 36 that fits into housing shroud 30 by way of its opening 32. Athird component of the adapter 2 of the instant invention comprises acore insert, or simply core 38 that fits into housing shroud 30 by wayof the latter's opening 34.

FIG. 3 shows adapter 2 in its assembled form with inner shroud 36 andcore 38 respectively fittingly mated to housing shroud 30.

A perspective view of housing shroud 30 is shown in FIG. 4A. Togetherwith the sectional views of FIGS. 4B and 4C and the end view of FIG. 4D,housing shroud 30 is shown to have a first or distal opening 32 and asecond or proximal opening 34. As best shown in the sectional views ofFIGS. 4B and 4C, a hub catch 40 made up of fingers 42 extending from acircumferential shoulder 43 is provided internally at the proximalportion of housing shroud 30 away from distal opening 32 and proximalopening 34. Each of fingers 42 has a finger tip 44 that extends towardthe longitudinal axis 46 of cylindrical housing shroud 30 to form anopening 48 that has a smaller diameter than proximal opening 34. Fingertips 44 of the fingers 42 that make up opening 48 for catching the hubare chamfered in the direction of opening 34 and yet are flat whenviewed from the direction of opening 32. At distal opening 32 of housingshroud 30 there is a lip 50. Opening 32 is reduced in diameter atlocation 52. As can be seen from the end view of FIG. 4D, which isviewed from opening 32, each of fingers 42, best represented byfingertips 44, is separated from its adjacent fingers by a notch or slot57 that provides additional flexibility to the fingers when core 38 isinserted to housing shroud 30 via opening 34. Also shown in FIG. 4D, aswell as the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 4B and 4C, are a plurality ofbumps 56 positioned in the shroud 30 away from the distal opening 32 andproximal opening 34 and that extend inwardly toward longitudinal axis 46at the side of shoulder 43 away from the fingers 42.

FIGS. 5A-5D show inner shroud 36 of the instant invention adapter. Asshown, inner shroud 36 has a through bore 53 that extends from itsdistal end 54 to its proximal end 55. At its distal end there is aprotrusion 58 formed circumferentially at its outer surface. Outer wall60 extends from distal end 54 to proximal end 55, ending with aplurality of teeth 62 that extend longitudinally away from proximal end55. Each of the teeth has an apex 62 a, a ramp portion 62 r and anupright portion 62 u. Each of the teeth is separated from its adjacentteeth by a space 64. Inner shroud 36 is internally threaded from itsdistal end 54 through a major portion of the shroud, per indicated bydesignation 66.

Core 38 of the adapter of the instant invention is best shown in FIGS.6A-6D. Core 38 comprises at its proximal portion a connector end, in theform of a luer fitting 68 that allows it to be coupled to a luer end ofa medication providing device such as for example a syringe ormedication pump. Extending from the proximal portion of core 38 is acircumferential flange 70 that has a diameter substantially the size ofproximal opening 34 of housing shroud 30. A cylindrical central portion72 extends from flange 70 to a shoulder flange 74 that has a flat rearsurface 76 facing flange 70. Shoulder flange 74 is chamfered at an anglealong its surface 78 so that the widest portion of shoulder flange 74extends at an angle inwards towards longitudinal axis 46 until it joinsthe distal male portion 80. A bore 82 through core 38 extends from thetip of distal portion 80 to opening 84 at the proximal end of core 38.

In combination, the adapter of the instant invention has fitted intohousing shroud 30 at its proximal opening 34 core 38 and at its distalopening 32 inner shroud 36. With reference to FIGS. 4A-4D, 5A-5D and6A-6C, it can be seen that inner shroud 36 is mated to housing shroud30. More particularly, the circumferential protuberance 58 of innershroud 36 is press or snap fitted to space 51 at the distal end ofhousing shroud 30. Since the cross dimension of inner shroud 36 isconfigured to fit within space 51 of housing shroud 30, onceprotuberance 58 is movably mated to space 51 and is retained by lip 50,inner shroud 36 is no longer removable from housing shroud 30.Protuberance 58 of inner shroud 36 is slidably movable within space 51between reduced diameter location 52 and lip 50, per shown bybi-directional arrows 59. Inner shroud 36 therefore is movable axiallyrelative to housing shroud 30.

Inner shroud 36 may be biased relative to housing shroud 30 in thedirection indicated by directional arrow 86 (FIG. 4B) when connector 4is being coupled to adapter 2 via the opening at distal end 54 of innershroud 36. When connector 4 is being threadingly mated to inner shroud36, a force is applied by the user, i.e., a torque in the direction tolock connector end 10 of connector 4 to the internal threaded portion 66of inner shroud 36. The torque force, which is combined with a biasingforward force, causes inner shroud 36 to be pushed along the directionof directional arrow 86 so that teeth 62 of inner shroud 36 would comeinto contact with bumps 56 formed internally at housing shroud 30. Bumps56 then act as a backstop to enable the user to threadingly mateconnector 10 to inner shroud 36, and therefore adapter 2.

Once connector end 10 is fully mated to the threaded portion 66 of innershroud 36, if connector 4 is rotated further in the direction of thelocking torque movement, inner shroud 36 would pull away and rotatefreely, as ramp portion 62 r of teeth 62 would guide teeth 62 away frombumps 56. But if a counter torque were to be applied to connector 4 torotate inner shroud 36 in a direction opposite to that of matingconnector 4 to inner shroud 36, connector 4 is removable from innershroud 36, as back portion 62 b of each of teeth 62 acts against a sideof a corresponding bump 56 to thereby prevent rotation of inner shroud36 relative to housing shroud 30. As a result, connector 4 is removablefrom adapter 2 when it is rotated in a direction counter to the rotationneeded to thread it into adapter 2.

Core 38 is fitted to housing shroud 30 via its proximal opening 34. Ascore 38 is pushed into housing shroud 30, the chamfered surface 78 ofshoulder 74, since it is at a forward incline, is able to readily causecatch fingers 44 of housing shroud 30 to slightly flex, particularlysince the adjacent fingers 44 are separated by slots 57, so thatshoulder 76 would pass opening 48. Once shoulder 74 fully passes thecatches 44 of fingers 42, since its back surface is flat, core 38 isprevented by catch hub 48, more specifically by the plurality of fingers42, from being removed or separated from housing shroud 30.

Distal opening 34, as best shown in the cross-sectional views of FIGS.4B and 4C, has a cross section 35 that has the same diameter as flange70. A ledge 37 at opening 34 prevents flange 70 from being pushedfurther into housing shroud 30, per directional arrow 88. Thus, oncecore 38 is fitted to housing shroud 30, it is non-removably fittedthereto. The cylindrical central portion 72, which is sandwiched byshoulder 76 and flange 70, is positioned within the proximal portion ofhousing shroud 30.

The nose portion 80 of core 38 is configured to have a length thatallows it to be positioned within space 51 of housing shroud 30, as bestshown in FIG. 3. Thus positioned, nose portion 80 is adaptable to matewith connector end 10 of connector 4, when connector 4 is mated to innershroud 36. Once connector 4 is mated to inner shroud 36, a through pathextending from opening 20 of connector 4 to opening 84 of core 38 isestablished to thereby enable fluid such as medication to pass from amedication providing device to the connector, and from there through thecatheter connected thereto to the patient.

As core 38 is non-removably connected to housing shroud 30 by centralportion 72 being rotatably mounted to catch hub 42, core 38 is rotatablefreely either clockwise or counterclockwise relative to housing shroud30. The respective dimensions of proximal opening 34 of housing shroud30 and flange 70 may be manufactured to establish a predeterminedfriction between housing shroud 30 and core 38 to enable a user toreadily connect a medication providing device, such as for example aconventional syringe or the connector of a medication pump, to luerconnector 68 of core 38. But once the syringe is fully connected to core38, due to the fact that core 38 is freely rotatable relative to housingshroud 30, the medication providing device could no longer be removedfrom adapter 2, as any rotational movement applied to the medicationproviding device would cause core 38 to rotate freely relative tohousing shroud 30.

By thus preventing the detachment of the medication providing devicefrom adapter 2 once it is connected to the luer connector end 68 of core38, the adapter of the instant invention ensures that the medication inthe medication providing device could only be conveyed to the connectorthat has a connector end that could mate correctly only with theconnector end of the adapter, i.e., threaded connector portion 66 ofinner shroud 36 for the embodiment being discussed. Of course, ifconnector 4 has a differently configured connector end 10, acorresponding connector end is needed at inner shroud 36 for properlymating therewith. Adapter 2 of the instant invention is therefore ableto provide a bridge for connecting a medication providing device to theproper connector, to thereby ensure that a correct fluid pathway isestablished to convey the correct medication to the patient.

1. Apparatus, comprising: a core having a through bore; an inner shroudpositioned about at least one portion of said core, said inner shroudhaving a plurality of teeth at one end of said inner shroud, at leastone portion of an inside circumferential wall of said inner shroudthreaded so that said inner shroud has an internal thread; a shroud intowhich said core and said inner shroud are movably positioned, saidshroud having a distal opening and a proximal opening, and a pluralityof bumps positioned in the shroud away from the distal and proximalopenings, the plurality of bumps each in position relative to acorresponding one of the teeth of the inner shroud; wherein when adirectional torque force is applied to said shroud relative to aconnector end to be connected to said apparatus, corresponding ones ofthe bumps and teeth would contact each other to enable the connector endto be mated to said inner shroud.
 2. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein eachof the teeth comprises a ramped portion that guides the tooth away froma corresponding bump at said shroud when the directional torque force nolonger needed to mate the connector end to the inner shroud is appliedto said shroud relative to the connector end.
 3. Apparatus of claim 1,wherein said core comprises a distal portion surrounded by said innershroud, the distal portion of said core matable with the connector end,the connector end matingly connected to said inner shroud to couple theconnector end to said distal portion of said core and said inner shroud.4. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said core comprises one end connectableto a luer connector.
 5. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein said corecomprises a distal portion and a proximal portion, the distal portion isconnectable to the connector end in fluid communication with a patientand the proximal portion is connectable to a medicament source so thatmedicament may be fed through the core to the patient.
 6. Apparatus ofclaim 5, wherein said medicament source is not removable from said coreonce it is connected to said core.
 7. Apparatus of claim 5, wherein saidinner shroud comprises a distal end positioned about at least the distalportion of said core, and wherein the end of said apparatus having thedistal portion of said core and the distal end of said inner shroud isconnectable to said connector end but the end of said apparatus oppositeto the distal portion of said core and the distal end of said innershroud is not connectable to said connector end.
 8. Apparatus of claim1, wherein said core is freely rotatable relative to said shroud so thata connector for conveying a medication is not removable from saidapparatus once it is connected to said apparatus.
 9. Apparatus of claim8, wherein the connector end is being used for conveying the medicationto a patient from a medication providing device.
 10. Connector,comprising: a core having a through bore; an inner shroud positionedabout said core, said inner shroud having a plurality of teeth, at leastone portion of said inner shroud has an internal thread; a shroud havinga distal opening and a proximal opening movably positioned about saidcore and said inner shroud, a plurality of bumps positioned in theshroud away from the distal and proximal openings, the plurality ofbumps each positioned relative to a corresponding one of the pluralityof teeth of said inner shroud so as to make contact with itscorresponding tooth when said shroud and said inner shroud are rotatedrelative to each other; wherein when said shroud is rotated relative toa connector end to be connected to said connector, the contact betweencorresponding ones of the teeth and bumps enable the connector end to bemated to said inner shroud.
 11. Connector for claim 10, wherein each ofthe teeth has a ramped portion that guides the tooth away from acorresponding bump at said shroud when said shroud is rotated relativeto the fluid connector after the connector end is mated to theconnector.
 12. Connector of claim 10, wherein said core comprises adistal portion surrounded by said inner shroud, the distal portion ofsaid core matable with the connector end to couple a fluid connector tosaid distal portion of said core and said inner shroud.
 13. Connector ofclaim 12, wherein said inner shroud comprises a distal end positionedabout at least the distal portion of said core, and wherein the end ofsaid connector having the distal portion of said core and the distal endof said inner shroud is connectable to the connector end but the end ofsaid connector opposite to the distal portion of said core and thedistal end of said inner shroud is not connectable to the connector end.14. Connector of claim 10, wherein said core comprises one endconnectable to a luer connector.
 15. Connector of claim 10, wherein saidcore comprises a distal portion and a proximal portion, wherein one ofthe portions is connectable to the connector end of a fluid connector influid communication with a patient and the other of the portions isconnectable to a medicament source so that the medicament may be fedthrough the core to the patient.
 16. Connector of claim 15, wherein saidmedicament source is not removable from said core once it is connectedto said core.
 17. Connector of claim 10, wherein said core is freelyrotatable relative to said shroud so that a connector end for conveyinga medication to a patient is not removable from said apparatus once itis connected to said apparatus.
 18. Connector of claim 17, wherein theconnector end is a part of a medication providing device for conveyingthe medication to the patient.
 19. System, comprising: an adapter havinga core having a through bore; an inner shroud positioned about saidcore, said inner shroud having a plurality of teeth at its one end, atleast one portion of an inside circumferential wall of said inner shroudthreaded so that said inner shroud has an internal thread at its otherend; a shroud having a distal opening and a proximal opening movablypositioned about said core and said inner shroud, the shroud includingan internal shoulder positioned away from the distal and proximalopenings and a plurality of bumps located at one side of the shoulder,each of the bumps positioned relative to a corresponding one of theteeth at the inner shroud so that corresponding ones of the teeth andbumps make contact with each other when said shroud and said innershroud are rotated relative to each other; a connector end matable tothe internal thread of said inner shroud; and a medication source forsupplying medication to said adapter; wherein when said shroud isrotated relative to the connector end, the contact between the teeth andbumps enable the connector end to be threadedly mated to said innershroud.
 20. System of claim 19, wherein the connector end is a part of afluid connector that comprises a second end having a catheter in fluidcommunication with a patient.